Palo Alto Weekly 12.09.2011 - Section 2

Palo Alto Weekly 12.09.2011 - Section 2

Section 2 of the December 9, 2011 edition of the Palo Alto Weekly

Cover Story
Veronica Weber
Lisa Anter, owner of the Curves franchise in Menlo Park, talks to a customer in early December.
Small-franchise owners weather turbulent economic times
by Carol Blitzer
W
hile other girls were playing with their Barbies, at 6, Lisa Anter was charging 10 cents a cup at her lemonade stand at a lake near her Montreal, Canada, home. The following year she upped it to 15 cents. It would be another 20 years or so before her entrepreneurial instincts fully kicked in and she left the corporate world to open her own business. But Anter didn't choose to go it alone. Instead she purchased a franchise -- in her case a couple of Curves circuit-training gyms -- where she could count on a national organization to back her new endeavors. Amos Wu and his wife were concerned about how the economy was affecting Wu's career as an engineer in Silicon Valley. Just as the
economy was starting to get rocky, Wu opened his first Subway in Palo Alto. And Lewis Knapp, made "redundant" by the Oracle buyout of Sun Microsystems where he'd spent more than 20 years, opted to open his own business -- Team Logic IT -- which offers computer services to small businesses. All did their research, learning that opening a franchise can take anywhere from $19,000 for Made in the Shade Blinds or Creation Carpets to $1 million for ARCO and AMPM, according to www. franchisesolutions.com. And each weighed the pros and cons of going the franchise route, rather than opening an independent business. Most said they found the corporate support -- often in marketing and advertising -- filled in vital
gaps. "You can't be an expert in everything -- design, finance, customer service. Nobody is good at everything," Anter said. But that support comes with a less flexible side. Franchise owners are locked into an agreement with headquarters and must meet certain expectations, including financial ones. "If you need to close, you can't. ... If they're unhappy with you, they might not negotiate with you when something happens," Anter said. But for those motivated by basic disenchantment with the corporate rat race or by the economy, with its mergers, takeovers and layoffs, opening a franchised business can be an attractive choice. Success rates appear to back
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Kelsey Kienitz
Amos Wu owns four Subway franchises, all in Palo Alto, including this one on California Avenue.
Page 33
Cover Story
Seeking a perfect match
Franchise options range from yogurt to bus wrapping
Franchise
(continued from previous page)
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hen t he economy turned downward, laidoff workers turned to franchise ownership. At least, that's been the experience at FranNet, a San Jose franchise-consulting business, which, appropriately, is itself a franchise. "We increased our profits by 800 percent, helping people getting into franchises," said Katie Fagan, a FranNet consultant. Sales for FranNet this year are ahead of 2009 and 2010, said Joan Young, president of FranNet and Sunbelt Business Brokers, San Jose, describing both companies as the largest franchise-consulting group in North America and the largest business-brokerage firm in the world, respectively. In the U.S. alone, there are 3,100 franchise companies in more than 80 industries, Fagan said. FranNet represents 110 of those companies, opening new locations; Sunbelt sells existing businesses. These companies are in a variety of industries, including home health care, tutoring and health and wellness, which did particularly well during the recession, Young said. And then there's food, home repairs, automotive and small-business support services. Opening a franchise is not for everybody, Fagan said. "If you don't want to follow a system, it's not for you. It's a good hybrid, if you come from corporate. Engineers make amazing franchisees; they're systematic," she said, adding that they helped an ex-Nike executive get into the rubbish-removal business. Part of the attraction for franchisees is that most companies do not require prior experience in the industry. Instead the corporate office offers specific training on running a small business, provides marketing and advertising help, gives product-purchasing breaks, and offers the chance to network with other franchise owners. That support comes at a price, usually beginning with a franchise fee ($25,000-$50,000) for the rights to use the name, systems, trademarks; a royalty fee (4-10 percent of revenue); and a national advertising fee (1-2 percent of monthly revenue) (see chart). When a client is exploring whether owning a franchise is the right choice, FranNet puts him or her through a series of assessments, identifying the person as an "achiever" (go-getter, salesoriented), "emulator" (imageoriented, empire builders), "belonger" (offers corporate support, likes proven systems) or "societal conscious" (makes a difference, contributes to society). The achiever/belonger might find a good fit with business coaching or home health care; the
them up: "The No. 1 reason businesses fail is lack of cash for working capital. After 10 years, only 16 percent of existing start-ups are still in business. With franchises, it's 90 percent," said Katie Fagan, franchise-consultant for FranNet, a franchise-consulting group in San Jose. What Anter, Wu and Knapp have in common is their choice to pursue their passions, drawing on their corporate experiences to help them run their new businesses -- their way. riginally from Taiwan, Amos Wu, now 44, came to the U.S. in 1989 to attend graduate school at the University of Southern California, then moved to the Bay Area in 1997 to work as an engineer at Lucent. But by 2003, he and his wife, Amanda Lee, were looking to start their own business. "We thought it might be easier for us to open a restaurant," Wu said, given his wife's background in hotel management and experience working in France and Switzerland. They briefly considered going it alone, but they didn't have any family members knowledgeable about running their own businesses and were discouraged by information they gathered. "We read some articles that said 50 percent of new businesses fail in the first year; 70 percent of businesses fail in three years. So we wanted to take a more conservative approach to starting our own business," Wu said, adding that they could minimize risk with a franchise. So they started checking out food franchises, such as Togo's, Quizno's
and Jamba Juice. Some were rejected because of location; for Jamba Juice they were told they'd need to start by opening five stores. "At the time we wanted to start small. We think this is too big (of a) commitment for us," Wu said. Ultimately, Wu and Lee bought an existing Subway franchise on University Avenue in Palo Alto in 2003, followed by one on El Camino Real in south Palo Alto in 2006, California Avenue in 2007 (a month after a fire at Walgreens closed his adjacent University Avenue location), and Midtown in 2008.
O
`I wish I would have changed earlier. My wife feels the same.'
� Amos Wu, Subway franchisee
They re-opened a University Avenue shop, across the street from the first location, this past August. At first the couple lived in San Jose, but they soon moved to Palo Alto. Today they manage about 10 employees per store, and they each work in all four locations as well. Wu chose Subway for both the product and the company. "We provide value food to customers. Subway in general is still growing -- the number of stores, but also sales. People start seeing Subway provides value. Look at the $5 footlong -- that has helped us. It really helped us to survive at a difficult time. It's healthy but also real affordable," Wu said. Wu not only talks the talk, he eats at Subway most days. "I believe in the food and that the system will do well," he said.
Courtesy of FranNet
Joan Young, president of FranNet, and Katie Fagan, a FranNet consultant, match prospective franchise owners with business opportunities. person with the social conscience could do well in tutoring or running a day-care business, Fagan said. "Where someone's an achiever, we show them three or four businesses and they just run with it," Young added. "People come in wanting to look at 7-11, Subway, and we send them in a different direction," Fagan said. "Food is an up-and-down cycle. How many cups do you have to sell to pay $5,000 rent? We have a client, who wanted to open a yogurt store, now looking at the sign-manufacturing business," she added. Another now wraps Disney buses, at $10,000 a pop. Ideally, a franchise business deals with something that can't be outsourced, and has less expensive rent, fewer employees and more reliable employees -- such as working with graphic designers rather than high school kids, Fagan said. "We handle some food, but it's not our focus. We've been in business for 31 years and have found food is the toughest industry to sustain. The hours are tough. To many people we meet with, lifestyle is key. They want flexibility, want to take a little girl to dance or soccer, and they don't want to be a slave to business," she said. And food businesses often come with a heftier investment, averaging $150,000, she said. But close to 80 percent of their franchises have been approved by the Small Business Administration, meaning they have to come up with only one-third of the investment, and many are borrowing from their 401K retirement funds. Looking back at the last couple of years, Young noted that many laid-off employees were drawn to opening their own franchise business. But sales of existing businesses definitely lagged, she said. "The business-brokerage community did very poorly because revenues had been so drastically affected by many industries. They were down 20 to 30 percent in revenues; profitability was down. They really weren't sellable. "I think it's coming back. We see such a difference this year, especially the second half, compared to `09 and `10," she added. As for where to open a franchise, Fagan said that "Palo Alto is a prime place for franchises. Businesses are doing well. The population has made it through the recession. There are a lot of good tech firms. Even without Facebook, there are lots of good firms who like to use local people to do their services." -- Carol Blitzer
Kelsey Kienitz
Dominga Gonzales manages -- and works the line at -- the California Avenue Subway.
Page 34
Cover Story
a general manager to help keep the businesses going, Wu said. But family is still their first priority. "If we sacrifice our family, what's the point of doing business? We have one 8-year-old daughter. We always keep the cell phone within reach for her," he said. isa Anter, now 36, entered the corporate world by working for Reebok after earning a masters degree in international studies and an MBA. Then she was recruited to work in Denver at Johnson Controls, a Fortune 100 company headquartered in Minneapolis. But after a few years, corporate life palled. "I had been working for huge corporations and was very disenchanted. As a young woman working in a predominantly male field, I found it really difficult. "I think it would be different for me today, in my 30s, but it didn't work in my 20s," Anter said. After her parents moved to Santa Barbara County, she decided to follow them to California and open a couple of Curves franchises in the Bay Area. She considered opening her own business but said that buying "a franchise is less risky. Curves had a 10-year track record." At first she looked at San Francisco, but its younger demographics didn't suit the Curves model: 40- to 60-year-old women with a finite amount of time for working out. As it turned out, most of the dozen Curves franchises in the City have closed, she said. "I wanted a business where I wouldn't work every weekend -- that took out restaurants and sandwich shops -- provided a service that I believed in, could really stand behind, and could provide me with a stable income so I could live my life and run a small business," she said.
(continued on page 38)
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Kelsey Kienitz
California Avenue Subway Manager Dominga Gonzales bags a sandwich for a customer. Although he easily puts in more than 40 hours a week, Wu said: "I wish I would have changed earlier. My wife feels the same. "We want to do this business long term, so we must enjoy our business. It's not only ourselves but (we want to) keep our employees happy," he said, noting that some have worked for them for more than eight years. The couple has chosen to build their business slowly. "When we opened, we took three years to open a second store. We have hands-on experience for three years. Now our focus is training people to do the right things," Wu said, noting that he and Lee come in at different times, morning, evening and night. "On University Avenue, we're open 24 hours," he added. In addition to training the Wus on how to run a Subway franchise, corporate also offered demographics, including where competitors are located and what the average disposable income is. "That information helped us decide what location was more doable than others," he said. He also meets monthly with his development manager, who handles franchises in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, to analyze the competition and talk about how to draw customers in. "This system works. They listen to the individual franchisee's voice. It's flexible. Corporate understands what individual stores need," he said. And when the Walgreens fire happened, the Wus were able to terminate the lease and salvage some equipment, including the bread oven. It took nearly four years to find the right-sized space on University Avenue. In the future, the Wus could open another Subway, perhaps in Los Altos. Once they hit five, they'll need
What does it take to open a franchise?
Min. net worth
CURVES SUBWAY TEAM LOGIC IT SERVICEMASTER ROUND TABLE THE MAIDS KUMON LEARNING CENTER TERMINIX $75K $0 $300K $50K-$75K $500K $250K $150K $24.7K-$85.3K
Franchise fee
$24.9K $15K $40K $24.9K-$65K $25K $10K $1K $25K-$50K
Royalties
5% of gross revenues ($195-$795) 8%/week of gross minus sales tax 7% of revenues 4% to 7% 4% of gross sales 3.9% to 6.9% $32-$36 per student per month 7% to 10%
Advertising
3% of gross revenues ($95-$395) 4.5%/week of gross minus sales tax 1.2% of revenues n/a 4% of gross sales 2% n/a n/a
Estimated total investment
$31.8K-$39.1K $115K-$259K $120K $48.9K- $161.1K $362K-$758K $92.5K-$120.3K $67.8K-$145.3K $24.7K-$85.3K
Sources: www.curves.com; www.subway.com; www.kumonfranchise.com; TeamLogic IT marketing department; www.franchisebusinessreview.com; http://roundtablecloud.com/rtp/franchising_ form.asp; www.entrepreneur.com (for missing Curves, ServiceMaster, Terminix, The Maids data); www.thefranchisemall.com (for estimated total revenue for Round Table pizza)
Page 35
Peninsula Christmas Services
Cover Story
ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH PALO ALTO CHRISTMAS EVE
4:00 pm Children's Christmas Pageant & Communion 10:00 pm Festive Choral Christmas Eve Holy Communion beginning with Carols
Christmas Eve
& & in English and German
CHRISTMAS DAY
10:00 am Holy Communion with Carols 600 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto (650) 326-3800 www.saint-marks.com
Inspirations is a resource for ongoing religious services and special events. To inquire about or to reserve space in Inspirations, please contact Blanca Yoc at 223-6596 or email byoc@paweekly.com
Christmas Day
&
Celebrate Christmas With Us!
Wherever you are in your journey, whether church is familiar or not, we welcome you to join us for one of our Christmas services. Whether you prefer a simpler children's service or a more traditional one with the Church Choir, infused with a sense of the sacred that fills Christmas Eve night, we invite you.
St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish, Palo Alto
Our Lady of the Rosary, 3233 Cowper Street St. Albert the Great, 1095 Channing Avenue St. Thomas Aquinas, 751 Waverley Street
Christmas Eve (All services will be about an hour)
4:00 pm 6:00 pm 9:30 pm 10:00 pm Children's Communion Service with Pageant Christmas Communion Service with the Festival Choir Carol Sing Christmas Communion Service with the Festival Choir
CHRISTMAS EVE � SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24TH
5:00 pm Family Mass � Our Lady of the Rosary (Children's Christmas Pageant during Mass) 5:00 pm Family Mass � St. Albert the Great (Children's Christmas Pageant during Mass) 6:00 pm � St. Thomas Aquinas 7:00 pm � Our Lady of the Rosary (Spanish) Midnight Mass 12:00 am � St. Thomas Aquinas (Gregorian)
Christmas Day
10:00 am Christmas Day Communion with Hymns Trinity Church In Menlo Park, An Episcopal Community 330 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park (Between El Camino and Middlefield) 650-326-2083 www.trinitymenlopark.org
CHRISTMAS DAY � SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25TH
7:30am � St. Thomas Aquinas; 9:00am � Our Lady of the Rosary (Spanish) -- St. Albert the Great; 10:30am � Our Lady of the Rosary; 10:30am � St. Thomas Aquinas; 12:00 Noon � St. Thomas Aquinas (Gregorian)
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Peninsula Christmas Services
Cover Story
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC
1985 Louis Road, Palo Alto
Sunday, Dec. 11th Christmas Pageant Sunday th Dec. 18 Festival Worship with Brass and Choir and the Hallelujah Chorus Christmas Eve, December 24th 3:30 & 5:00 pm Family Services 10:00 pm Candlelight Service Christmas Day, December 25th 10:00 a.m. Worship
An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ
All Saints' Episcopal Church
A Child is Born... Join Us for the Celebration
Christmas Eve 5:00 pm 10:30 pm 11:00 pm 10:00 am Family Eucharist with Choir & Blessing of the Cr�che Musical Prelude with Choir Festive Candlelight Eucharist Communion & Carols
Christmas Day
www.asaints.org (650) 322-4528
Sundays 8am & 10am 555 Waverley at Hamilton, Palo Alto
St. Bede's Episcopal Church
2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, 854-6555 www.stbedesmenlopark.org
Celebrate the Season of Promise Fulfilled!
Sunday, December 18th
4:00pm A Service of Christmas Lessons & Carols
Saturday, December 24th Christmas Eve
4:00pm Christmas Pageant & Holy Eucharist 10:00pm Candlelight Choral Eucharist
Valley Presbyterian Church in the Redwoods
945 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA 650-851-8282 www.valleypreschurch.org
Sunday, December 25th Christmas Day
9:00am Holy Eucharist with Carols, Rite I
Christmas Eve Worship
5:00 pm 10:00 pm Family Candlelight Service Candlelight Service Lessons & Carols Christmas Celebration!
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Sunday, January 1st Feast of the Holy Name
9:00am Holy Eucharist with Carols, Rite II
Christmas Day Worship
10:45 am
Stanford Driving School
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Cover Story
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Tues 12/20 Weds 12/28
Day 3
Weds 12/21 Thurs 12/29
Day 4
Thurs 12/22 Fri 12/30
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To register online, please visit our website at:
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Veronica Weber
Lisa Anter, Curves owner, guides Uma Roy on how to properly use a workout machine.
Franchise
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Anter opened the Menlo Park/ Atherton Curves on El Camino Real in November 2003. Setting her sights on Burlingame, she cleared the regulation hurdles in that city within a year and opened in a 100-year-old cottage that had parking on site. In 2006 she purchased an existing Curves franchise in Belmont. But soon, she found that running three was more than she could handle. "I thought I would get economies of scale but needed five locations (with a district manager, to do that)," she said. "I was running myself ragged. I could see that my other two locations were suffering because of it," she said. She ended up selling the Belmont gym a couple of years later. The buyer closed it less than nine months after that.
Then, a year ago, an electrical fire destroyed the Burlingame location. Not only did she lose her equipment and the structure but all of her membership records as well.
`I had been working for huge corporations and was very disenchanted.'
� Lisa Anter, Curves franchisee
"Curves was as supportive as they could be," she said, including not charging royalties for six months. But by the time the building was repaired, re-opening would be just like starting a brand-new business -- and this was not the right economic environment for that, she said. As early as 2007, she said, "We
started noticing numbers weren't where they should be. Other Curves were starting to close in areas that I said were precarious to begin with." She noted that Curves shouldn't have opened a gym in East Palo Alto, "but they're in Texas; they don't know about rent." Curves' traditional model is $400 rent, 120 members, in a rural town, she explained, adding that rent here is "thousands and no one has 400 members (to support that)." But back in 2007 "there was no growth. Membership plateaued. ... Slowly, slowly, we saw our numbers dropping." Curves corporate did offer advice on renegotiating leases, cutting hours and promoting the program. From the beginning, headquarters emphasized that a successful owner works in the business, Anter said. "When I first opened the club, I had one part-time employee. I spent every second breathing, building up that business. Membership was
Page 38
Veronica Weber
Lisa Anter talks with Uma Roy, far left, Trish Hallenbeck and another Curves member about exercise tips at the Menlo Park Curves circuit-training facility.
Cover Story
growing; systems were in place. I knew how to run payroll, bookkeeping. "I've always considered myself an active Curves owner. I never had a second job." Anter attributes the drop in enrollment to the economy. Although the business is based on a model of members working out three times a week and paying $45 each per month, many members used Curves only four or five times a month. And when women -- or their husbands -- lost jobs, it was easier to cut out Curves than not pay for cable, she said. "It's very short-term (solution). Now you're not going to fit into your clothes. A pair of jeans is at least $50! ... If you think about it, it's a tank of gas," she said of the monthly membership fee. Economic pressures have kept her from re-establishing Curves in Burlingame, where she lives and used to bike to the office. She's gathered contact information from about 75 former members, she said, but "I lost so many clients -- many of them went to do other things, or join other Curves. Once you start a routine, it's hard to switch back again. There's no guarantee people would come back. "I wasn't willing to risk the time and my heart to reopen. And it was a huge financial risk. ... I don't know anyone who would open a Curves in this economy," she said. Asked if she had considered buying the recently closed location in downtown Palo Alto, she said: "The economy wasn't where it needed to be to expand. Membership wasn't where it needed to be in order to be viable long-term. "I don't know if I had it in me to build another Curves. There isn't the challenge for me. Opening a business at the beginning was really fun." Today she's putting in 20 to 25 hours a week, a sharp contrast to the 65 to 80 hours she devoted when she had three Curves franchises. "It was ridiculous. I had no personal time at all." She's earning a living but not without personal sacrifices, she said, such as no more international travel. But she's living a few hours away from family and values the time with them. Where will she be in five years? "I'm 36, single. I hope to be married and have kids and be able to run a business," she said. eaving Sun Microsystems wasn't Lewis Knapp's choice in 2010. He had started there as a software developer in 1987, working his way through program management, an executive role as chief of staff, then into the visual design of Sun's website. But upon being downsized, he took the opportunity to look around. Part of his "transition" package was meeting with a career-services company, which in turn put him in touch with FranNet (see sidebar). After assessment, he met with a counselor who earmarked eight potential franchises, showing him a binder several inches thick. They narrowed the choices down to three.
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`I wear many hats -- but I try not to send emails in the middle of the night.'
� Lewis Knapp, Team Logic IT franchisee
Knapp, who formerly thought of franchises as fast-food businesses, found the range of opportunities eye-opening, he said. He considered the three carefully: Hoods was a company devoted to cleaning restaurant-exhaust systems, which are required to be serviced every quarter; another was a private-investigation business; and the third was what he ultimately chose, Team Logic IT. His company provides information-technology (IT) support to small- to medium-sized businesses, covering computers, backup systems, telephones, email, security and network management. What appealed to him most was the independence.
"In the back of my mind I always wanted to run my own thing. Having the ability to start something up with the support of a known system took a lot of the uncertainty out. "I don't have a strong marketing background or direct-sales experience. The franchise can help shore up those gaps in my experience," Knapp said. Where his personal skills come into play are in the knowledge of hardware, operating systems and software development and in understanding the IT landscape his clients need. "Every client is different. We want to represent ourselves as the trusted partner for everything IT," he said. And if he can't come up with an immediate solution, he has a network of 50-plus other Team Logic IT franchise owners who are available for consultation. "I don't get any sense of competition. ... Everyone's been really helpful offering up solutions that have worked for them," even sending supporting documents, he said. Start-up was slow: It took him five months to hire his first (and only) employee, a technician. He finally opened in mid-June 2011. But start-up costs were relatively low: $35,000 for the initial fee, plus royalties that were suspended for the first six months (see chart). "I could get by with a desk phone and laptop for each employee," plus a server for the office and a Prius wrapped with the company's logo and contact information. Over time, Knapp expects to hire a team of three technicians and a salesperson. "That will give us a scalable model to support our clients," he said. While Knapp has the territorial rights to sell his services to clients in Menlo Park, he's not limited by contract to those borders. The next closest franchise is Mountain View,
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Page 39
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Kelsey Kienitz
Lewis Knapp recently launched a Team Logic IT franchise in Menlo Park, after working his entire career at Sun Microsystems.
Franchise
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which covers the southern part of Palo Alto. Part of his attraction to Team Logic IT is its overlap with his corporate background. Although that background is more on the software side, he calls himself a very advanced home-computer user. That enables him to talk easily to potential customers about their office needs. He also enjoys being able to control his work hours. Even putting in 45 to 50 hours a week, he can see his kids in the morning and be home for dinner. "I might work after the family goes to bed and a little on weekends," he said, including cleaning the office. "I wear many hats -- but I try not to send emails in the middle of the night." That contrasts with the old Sun schedule, when "clients were worldwide and we had to get the job done yesterday." One of the reasons he rejected Hoods was the third-shift work. Restaurant equipment needs to be cleaned in the middle of the night. Although he's only been open for a few months, Knapp expects to become profitable within the first year. "We're bringing customers on at a rate that's pretty healthy," he said. So far he's found the Team Logic corporate support useful. He talks with someone at corporate weekly about what's in his pipeline, going
Page 40
over his prospect list and making sure he fully understands the systems the company provides. "I can call the president anytime asking for advice," Knapp said, or any other department, from legal to human resources. "I see them as both my board of directors and an employee I'm paying 8.5 percent as a salary," he said. Will that ever get old? Once his business stabilizes and he isn't taking as much advantage of the company's resources, he said, he might question what he's getting out of the partnership. But "I don't foresee any regrets," he said, pointing to the company's constant updating of marketing materials, leaving him free to look for new clients. For Knapp, opening a franchise has taken much of the risk out of starting a new business. "It's almost an inverse: In the first five years, one in 10 independent businesses succeed and one in 10 franchises fail. It's a remarkable difference," he said. Associate Editor Carol Blitzer can be emailed at cblitzer@ paweekly.com.
About the cover: Lewis Knapp, owner of the Team Logic IT franchise in Menlo Park, stands beside his "wrapped" Prius, which touts his business as it goes about town. Photograph by Veronica Weber.
H A P P Y H O L I D AY S
Go-to
gifts
by Casey Moore
Basic yet thoughtful presents to have on hand
W
ith the arrival of the holiday season comes the flurry of planning and purchasing presents for everyone on your list. But when the unexpected happens -- an office Secret Santa, new acquaintance, distant cousin or surprise holiday guest suddenly turns up -- even the most creative gift-givers might need some backup. Non-specific yet classy gifts can be kept on hand to please a range of people and preferences. Local stores stock their shelves with a variety of options to bring cheer to every newfound friend and reconnected relative. Hand-crafted heartwood boxes, made in Washington state and designed from woods such as cherry, maple and teak, are among the most popular offerings at Shady Lane in downtown Palo Alto. Designs include the trademark "puzzle boxes," which remain locked unless opened by a unique series of taps and twists. Other styles, from small sliding-top "secret boxes" to multi-drawer jewelry boxes, can hold collections of trinkets beneath their custom laser-etched lids. For a present that would make an impression, Shady Lane carries decorative containers that can be given alone or used to package smaller gifts. The metalframed blue-glass boxes appear decidedly feminine, while the striped onyx jars and vases could please either gender. Paired with a few smaller items -- like a heart-
Therapy in Mountain View carries the Voluspa mini diffuser, including a scent called French cade and lavender.
wood bookmark or decorative blown-glass paperweight -- the containers could charm the mother or father of a significant other. As a more specialized option, Kepler's Books in Menlo Park carries -- you guessed it -- an array of books. Each of the store's employees specializes in specific genres, everything from mysteries to fine art and photography to science to children's books. The staff provides personalized recommendations upon request. "Say your 83-year-old great uncle comes to visit," said floor manager Nancy Salmon, herself a specialist of fiction and biographies. "I'll usually ask: What are his interests? What kinds of things does he like to do?" For bibliophiles, Kepler's carries Mudlark "book lovers" sets, complete with miniature notebook, magnetic page markers, bookplates (or name labels) and bookmarks. But the store is not limited by its name. Bosses or recent graduates might appreciate the old-fashioned fountain pen collection, while crossword fanatics would appreciate the famous Seven Year Pen or the Puzzle Pen, which erases when used on newsprint. Looking for something generic yet tasteful (no pun intended)? Gift baskets, such as those offered at Draeger's Markets in Los Altos and Menlo Park, come prepackaged with an assortment of goodies to please any palate. Holiday varieties include the "Epicurean Holiday" -- complete with Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, imported pastas, specialty meats and Amarettini Italian cookies -- and the "Holiday Snack," with truffle almonds, popcorn, candies, cookies and chocolates. As a more classically feminine option, the store designs holiday-themed floral arrangements, along with their year-round offerings of potted hydrangeas, orchids, parade roses and azaleas. Draeger's edible selections include fine chocolates, olive oils and wines recommended by the wine specialist-in-residence. These top-quality specialties are "things that people don't just go out and buy for themselves," said Ron Piazza, Los Altos store manager.
Veronica Weber
Veronica Weber
Onyx jars in a variety of sizes are available at Shady Lane in Palo Alto.
Above: Palo Alto Fire Fighters Pepper Sauce can be found at University Art Annex in Palo Alto; above right and right: Shady Lane offers boxes to keep stamps or knickknacks, as well as blown-glass paperweights from many artists.
Michelle Le
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Veronica Weber
Veronica Weber
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H A P P Y H O L I D AY S
Michelle Le
Veronica Weber
The Mudlark book lover's gift set at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park features a journal, bookmarks, page markers and bookplates.
(Continued from previous page)
Aspiring chefs or masters of the barbecue may enjoy a bottle of Palo Alto Fire Fighters Pepper Sauce, sold at the University Art Annex in Palo Alto. The condiment was originally an experiment run by Palo Alto firefighter Lee Taylor, who concocted a sauce from peppers grown behind Palo Alto Fire Station 5. Today, the sauce is bottled professionally and sold all over the country, with proceeds going to various charities and scholarships for local high school students. The spicy sauce is often purchased with a set of screen-printed cotton dish towels, "one of our tried-andtrue" gift suggestions for both men and women, said Tina Ford, store manager of the Annex. Hand-towel designs include a pepper medley, garden vegetables, fall leaves, trees and colorful blooms. For nature lovers, check out the shop's Juniper Ridge potpourri sachets, small drawstring bags containing fragrant and sustainably harvested native Western plants
like Siskiyou Cedar, Big Sur Sage and the seasonal Christmas Fir. One customer, Ford said, gifted the sachets together with the Annex's decorative plant pot holders, which are made of burlap and insulated with waterproof plastic. Got a free spirit or eccentric relative on your list? Therapy of Mountain View carries a collection of quirky knick-knacks, such as the centipedeshaped silicone ice-cube tray, mustache mirror clings and penguin bottle-opener. The eclectic offerings could charm a young adult or perfectly suit a high-spirited white-elephant gift exchange. For those who simply long for the return of spring, Therapy carries
Draeger's in Menlo Park offers Britches brew bottle holders. branches of garden lights in varieties such as amber plum tree, green plum tree and pussy willow. The tiny bulbs can illuminate both the interior and exterior of the home to bring aesthetic pleasure and brightness to an otherwise dark winter night. Another option is the shop's soybased candles and gift sets, with subtle scents ranging from fresh cade wood to goji and tarocco. Each candle contains an extra plus: Its brightly-colored aluminum canister can be reused after the candle quits burning.
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Michelle Le
Collectible pen sets can be found at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park.
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Best bets for
H A P P Y H O L I D AY S
Shop & Dine California Avenue This Holiday Season!
�
pets
463 California Ave. 326-7762
368 California Ave. 360 California Ave. 328-9400 326-9285
410 California Ave. 323-0409
395 California Ave 461 California Ave. 323-9068 327-5665
kNow Knew Books
381 California Ave. 321-3234 415 California Ave. 326-9355
Holiday gifts sure to earn purrs and wags
Juliet, a 4-month-old Basset Hound, models a pair of reindeer antlers at Pet Food Express in Palo Alto.
A Sale With Riches Beyond Compare
by Karla Kane
ost people consider their pets -- be they dogs, cats, birds or bunnies -- part of the family. And according to a recent APPetside poll, more than half of pet owners in America will give holiday gifts to their pets this year, spending around $46 on toys, treats and other goodies per pet. Local pet stores are stocking their shelves with plenty of items for Fluffy and Fido to receive from Santa Claus ... or is that Claws? Pet Food Express, which boasts several locations throughout the Bay Area, including in Palo Alto and Redwood City, offers a variety of supplies to keep pets warm and snuggly through the winter, including heated, energy-efficient beds, furniture covers, boots A BIS plush dog wearing a yarmulke sits in The Pet Place in Menlo and sweaters (ranging from $4.99 to $119.99), according to Park. an email from Mike Murray, director of community relations. The store also offers all-natural chew treats and a line of "retro toys" featuring sock gear," Murray said. monkeys and classic characters such as Lambchop The Pet Place in downtown Menlo Park offers and Gumby ($6.99 to $8.99). many organic treats and toys manufactured by local Pet Food Express offers holiday-themed toys and/or independent companies, owner Lynn Macy ($2.99 and up), including reindeer and dreidels and said, including tasty snacks with seasonal flavors, -- perhaps more to the delight of pet owners than to such as pumpkin pie and sweet potato. the pets themselves -- holiday pet apparel such as "Santa and Mrs. Santa sweaters, elf suits and head (continued on next page)
M
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Kelsey Kienitz
840 Warrington Ave., Redwood City
650.327.5040
stephenmillergallery.com
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H A P P Y H O L I D AY S
(Continued from previous page)
"Typically it's our busiest time of year," Macy said of the holiday season. "People are thinking of more comfort for their pets for the winter," purchasing blankets, beds, sweaters and raincoats. "There are some products by a local, Karen Johnson's catnip toys, that are really popular. And the `PURRfect Cat Toy,' a wand-based toy for chasing and pouncing, is one of her favorites," she said. "We've had the same one for I don't know how many years, with so many kitties." "A lot of the stuffed ones are usually pretty popular because some of them grunt, squeak or make a crackly noise. And some you can stuff with treats," she said of the canine toys. At Palo Alto's Pet Food Depot on El Camino Real, customers can pick out a selection of treats, accessories and toys and have them gift wrapped in a variety of holiday-themed packaging, such as baskets and bags, with the special wrapping costing around $5 to $10, store manager Heghnar Balian said. Festive gift bags are also available for $1 to $3. "Usually people want it in a pet-themed wrap; ribbons with bones and paws, we offer that," she said. "We usually order a whole bunch of Christmas and Hanukkah toys, like squeaky things for dogs and cats." For the high-end pet, Palo Alto's McRoskey Mattress Company offers the $360 "Lucky Dog Pillow," a dog bed filled with Hungarian goose down, encased in 300thread-count cotton sateen and covered in Sunbrella or soft vinyl. Designed to be durable and easy-to-clean -- as well as stylish -- the beds come in chocolatebrown or black vinyl, or damask, herringbone and stripe. Habitat Design on Palo Alto's Staunton Court offers a $60 cat ticking mattress ("nine out of ten cats mistake it for down," the website boasts) along with a $40 mattress cover. Pet's Delight on State Street in Los Altos offers a
Veronica Weber
Holiday dog toys are for sale at Pet Food Express in Palo Alto. line of Five Paw Treats (gourmet, local baked goods for pets) in a variety of flavors including "cheese moons," "liver lover," "peanut hearts" and "puppy pizza," which are available in gift bags or tubs ($5.95 a tub; $9.99/ lb). Even aquatic pets can benefit from some holiday cheer. While most aquarium or terrarium-based pets have everything they need, according to Sabrina Bauer of downtown Mountain View's fish-and-reptile store Seascapes, some patrons purchase live worms, feeder
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fortunate pets. Pet Food Express, Pet Food Depot and The Pet Place, among others, all offer opportunities for patrons to donate to pets in need. "All year round we do collections and donations for shelters, and we've had adoption fairs here for almost 20 years now," Macy said of her Santa Cruz Avenue shop. Pet Food Depot also offers a donation bin year round. Pet Food Express is holding its annual Giving Tree promotion during the month of December. "We collect Kong toys and monetary donations for pet-rescue groups and animal shelters," Murray said. "Kong toys are the only ones approved by the Bay Area shelters as being safe enough for all animals to use," he added. Customers are offered a 20 percent discount on purchases of donated toys. The Peninsula Humane Society accepts donations year round, but for $20 sponsors can order a special "Cool Yule" holiday shirt featuring festive animal images (www.peninsulahumanesociety.org/donate/ holidayshirt.html). Humane Society Silicon Valley also accepts donations of money, food and supplies (http://hssv.convio.net). Local pet lovers are often happy to help others, Macy said. "We have such a compassionate community here."
H A P P Y H O L I D AY S
mice or brine shrimp this time of year as special delicacies for their fish and reptile friends. "When you feed them fish food it's kind of like feeding them hamburgers. Live food is like filet mignon; it tastes better," she said. While actually purchasing pets as presents is generally discouraged, Bauer said Seascapes sometimes offers a holiday sale on crested geckos and their habitats, as they're excellent starter pets and easy to care for. "They're wonderful pets," she said. Of course, animal lovers with already-privileged pets can also donate money or time to local animal-related charities to help less
Michelle Le
Seascapes in Mountain View carries themed fish tanks, including one with a bala shark, tetra fish and blind cave.
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A mixture of Emmenthal, Gruyere and Beaufort Cheese Served with French Bread Baguette, Sliced Pears and Apples
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Our Preschool is an English-Japanese bilingual preschool. We provide children a great leaning experience in a warm, cheerful, and friendly environment. Our mission is to help families who are raising bilingual children as well as those who want their children to begin a second language at an early age.
Make the most of winter by taking a class in something you've always wanted to learn. It's never too late to pick up a guitar or learn to say "thank you" in a foreign language. Try tai chi or put on some dance shoes. All the classes listed below are local, so go for it!
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
Accepted Prep
PO Box 473, Palo Alto, CA 94302 650-308-6328 info@acceptedprep.com www.acceptedprep.com Accepted Prep offers group sessions and oneon-one tutoring services to help students improve their test scores. Accepted offers test preparation services on SAT, SAT II, AP exams, GRE and GMAT. Classes will be held at Palo Alto High School. Accepted Prep's team-centric approach aims to deliver a fun, collaborative learning environment.
College Goals
PO Box 18777, Stanford, CA 94309 401-247-2629 www.collegegoals.com andrea_van_niekerk@collegegoals.com Private college admission counseling designed by highly experienced ex-Ivy League admission officer and freshman academic advisor. Counsel high school students across all levels of college selectivity and preparation and on all aspects of a thoughtful, ethical and appropriate college-application process. Work both in person and through email.
info@qwertyed.com Academic tutoring and diagnostic educational evaluation for K-12 and college. Professional educators and diagnosticians work with students to build understanding of their learning, resulting in improved confidence and academic progress. Professional education services since 1976. Contact Michael Perez, director, for a no-cost phone consultation.
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY
Mountain View-Los Altos Adult School
333 Moffett Blvd., Mountain View 650-940-1333 www.mvlaae.net The MV-LA Adult School has a long history and commitment to adult education. Offering: Meet the PC, intro to Windows XP, sendingreceiving email, slide-show photo organizer, MS Excel, eBay sales and surfing, resume writing, grant writing and master the interview.
701 East Meadow Drive, Palo Alto (650)-493-7672 www.SoraPreschool.com
Emerson School
2800 W. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto 650-424-1267 650-856-2778 (fax) www.headsup.org pacdc@headsup.org Emerson School, a private, non-sectarian program for grades 1-8, operates on a year-round full-day schedule providing superior academic preparation, international courses (Chinese, Spanish) and individualized Montessori curriculum. Visit website for details.
AJ Tutoring, LLC
430 Cambridge Ave., #110, Palo Alto 650-331-3251 www.ajtutoring.com AJ Tutoring, LLC, helps students conquer the SAT, ACT and SAT subject tests. Its one-onone tutoring is an efficient and effective way to improve scores, while small group classes provide students with a positive, dynamic and collaborative learning environment that fits any budget.
Web Site Designs
408-243-6473 richardhellyer@gmail.com Richard Hellyer is an experienced professional marketing consultant who tutors individuals in graphic design and website implementation.
Challenger School
3880 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-213-8245 ChallengerSchool.com Challenger School is an independent private school that focuses on academic excellence, individual achievement, critical thinking skills and self-reliance. Challenger students achieve scores on average in the 90th percentile on the national Stanford Achievement Test (SAT). Tour the campus to learn about Challenger's preschool through eighth grade programs.
Lydian Academy
815 El Camino Real, Menlo Park 650-321-0550 www.lydianacademy.com Lydian Academy is a personalized middle and high school recognized for academic excellence and great teachers. Lydian has rolling admissions and welcomes new students every week, year round. Earn your diploma from Lydian or get ahead by taking UC-approved and AP classes in Lydian's after-school and summer programs. Lydian also offers professional tutoring with proven results.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
CareerGenerations
2225 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto 650-320-1639 info@CareerGenerations.com www.CareerGenerations.com CareerGenerations offers one-on-one and group sessions to meet specific career needs. CareerGenerations career coaches can help assess talents in the context of today's marketplace, generate career options, improve resumes and social-media profiles, design a successful search plan, and skillfully network, interview and negotiate salaries. Contact CareerGenerations for a free initial consultation.
Children's Health Council
650 Clark Way, Palo Alto 650-326-5530 www.chconline.org help@chconline.org For struggling learners, getting the right kind of attention to enjoy learning can make all the difference in how a child feels about themselves and school. Children's Health Council's Learning Center offers a range of services for struggling learners -- evaluation, individual support/coaching, assistive technology, school-placement services and more.
Palo Alto Adult School
50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto 650-329-3752 650-329-8515 (fax) www.paadultschool.org Hands-on computer, language, test preparation, writing, investment and certificate courses available. Hundreds of online classes are offered by the Palo Alto Adult School in conjunction with Education to Go.
DANCE
Bayer Ballet Academy
2028 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View 650-988-9971 www.bayerballetacademy.com info@bayerballetacademy.com Classical Russian ballet.
QWERTY Education Services
1050 Chestnut St., #201, Menlo Park 650-326-8484 www.qwertyed.com
Beaudoin's School of Dance
464 Colorado Ave., Palo Alto 650-326-2184 www.Beaudoins-Studio.com
650.321.1991 WWW.MID-PEN.COM
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Tap, ballet, ballroom and jazz dance classes available for children and adults. Special classes for boys, seniors.
Brazilian Dance
Lucie Stern Community Center Ballroom, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-463-4940 www.cityofpaloalto.org/enjoy Brazilian dance for ages 16-99 with Anita Lusebrink. Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Twelveweek session for $110 if registered, $127 if not registered. Drop-in cards available.
Cubberley Community Center, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-365-4596 www.lecolededanse.net L'Ecole De Danse (School of Ballet) -- Vaganova and Cecchetti styles. Creative dance, pre-ballet and full curriculum for all levels starting at age 4-and-a-half. Adult classes include beginning, intermediate and advanced. Please call for more information.
erVie is different from other military-style boot camps. Visit the webaite or call for more information and to register.
California Yoga Center (Palo Alto)
541 Cowper St., Palo Alto 650-967-5702 www.californiayoga.com info@californiayoga.com The California Yoga Center offers classes for beginning to advanced students. With studios in Mountain View and Palo Alto, classes emphasize individual attention and cultivate strength, flexibility and relaxation. Ongoing yoga classes are scheduled every day and include special classes such as prenatal, back care and pranayama. Weekend workshops explore a variety of yoga-related topics.
American Red Cross: Silicon Valley
2731 North First St., San Jose 1-877-727-6771 www.siliconvalley-redcross.org Palo Alto Chapter: 400 Mitchell Lane, Palo Alto In a Red Cross First Aid class students learn CPR, choking rescue, bleeding control and treatment of burns, fractures, seizures and more. Fee $75. Adult CPR and First Aid Certificates. Locations in San Jose and Palo Alto. Call 1-877-727-6771 for dates/times or visit the website.
Uforia Studios
819 Ramona St., Palo Alto 650-329-8794 www.uforiastudios.com Uforia Studios specializes in dance (Zumba, Hip Hop, Bollywood, Hula Hooping), Strength and Sculpting (uDefine) and Spinning (uCycle). All fitness levels and abilities are welcome. Schedule available online.
650-380-0099 www.redstarsoccer.com Red Star Soccer Academy is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to youth player development. It offers training for eager young athletes who aspire to reach their full potential in soccer. Red Star is affiliated with the US Soccer Federation and US Club Soccer. Red Star teams compete in Nor Cal Premier League and US Club Soccer sanctioned tournaments. Visit the website for specific tryout times and to pre-register online.
Studio Kicks
796A San Antonio Road, Palo Alto 650-855-9868 650-855-9869 (fax) www.studiokickspaloalto.com info@studiokickspaloalto.com Studio Kicks is a family fitness center offering high-energy cardio kickboxing classes and fun martial-arts training for kids 3 and 12 and up. Taught by owner/instructor Richard Branden, six-time world champion and original stunt cast member for the "Power Rangers." Get the whole family healthy and fit. Stop by for a free class.
Center for Movement Education and Research
www.movement-education.org judy@movement-education.org Center for Movement Education and Research (CMER) offers both introductory one-day workshops to explore what dance/movement therapy is about, as well as a selection of comprehensive Alternate Route Training Courses for professional development in becoming a dance/movement therapist. Most CMER courses provide Continuing Education credit as an approved provider of continuing education by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (#3888).
Darshana Yoga
654 High St., Palo Alto 650-325-YOGA www.darshanayoga.com Fresh and inspiring yoga classes in Palo Alto. A blend of alignment and flow. Director Catherine De Los Santos has taught yoga in Palo Alto more than 25 years.
Andre's Boot Camp (ABC)
www.andrestraining.com andre@andrestraining.com No two sessions are the same but every session will offer either circuit training or interval training. ABC is designed for those who enjoy multi-sport activities. A variety of athletic "toys" are used to make the classes both fun and challenging. Call, email or visit the website for more information.
Western Ballet
914 N. Rengstorff Ave., Unit A, Mountain View 650-968-4455 www.westernballet.org info@westernballet.org Western Ballet has a welcoming, caring place to study ballet. Adult classes for absolute beginners to professionals, providing the largest selection of drop-in classes in the San Francisco Peninsula and South Bay. For children through teens preparing for careers in ballet, there is a graded youth program with 13 preprofessional levels. Faculty consists of current and former professional dancers. Cost of a single adult class: $15. For the youth program, visit website for tuition rates.
Jacki's Aerobic Dancing
890 Church St., Mountain View 650-941-1002 www.jackis.com joanier@pacbell.net Jacki's Aerobic Dancing offers a well-balanced hour of abdominal work, weight training and safe, easy-to-follow aerobic routines. Complimentary child care is available. Classes meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9-10 a.m., at Mountain View Masonic Temple.
Taijiquan Tutelage of Palo Alto
4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-327-9350 www.ttopa.com mjchan@ttopa.com Taijiquan Tutelage of Palo Alto. Established in 1973. Learn the classical Yang Chengfu style of Taijiquan (T'ai chi ch'uan). Beginning classes start monthly. Classes are held at the Cubberley Community Center.
Dance Connection
4000 Middlefield Road, L-5, Palo Alto 650-322-7032 www.danceconnectionpaloalto.com info@danceconnectionpaloalto.com Dance Connection offers graded classes for preschool to adult with a variety of programs to meet every dancer's needs. Ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, boys program, lyrical, Pilates and combination classes are available for beginning to advanced levels. Find information and download registration from the website.
Betty Wright Swim Center @ Abilities United
3864 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-494-1480 www.AbilitiesUnited.org/BWSCwelcome bwsc@AbilitiesUnited.org Improve health and wellness through aquatic exercise and therapy in the fully accessible, public, warm-water (93 degree), in-door pool. Classes include aqua aerobics, aqua arthritis, back basics, body conditioning, Aichi yoga and prenatal. Physical therapy, personal training, Watsu and land massage by appointment. Group and private swim lessons. Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Jazzercise at Little House
800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park 650-703-1263 www.jazzercise.com meredithozbil@hotmail.com Jazzercise blends aerobics, yoga, Pilates and kickboxing movements into fun dance routines set to fresh new music. All fitness levels welcome. Classes are ongoing. Go directly to class to register.
Zohar Dance Company
4000 Middlefield Road, L-4, Palo Alto 650-494-8221 www.zohardance.org zohardance@gmail.com Founded in 1979, Zohar is unique in that it offers classes to adults in jazz, ballet and modern dance. Under the direction of Ehud and Daynee Krauss, the studio is known for its professional instructors and inspiring classes.
Taoist Tai Chi Society of the USA
3391 Middlefield Road, YES Hall, Palo Alto www.california.usa.taoist.org 650-396-9244 paloalto.ca@taoist.org The Taoist Tai Chi Society of the USA offers classes designed to improve balance, strength and flexibility while promoting relaxation and good health. Beginner classes in Taoist Tai Chi internal art of Tai Chi Chuan are offered for all ages and fitness levels in Palo Alto. First class is free. Call or visit the website for class schedule and more information. A nonprofit organization with nationally accredited instructors.
DanceVisions
4000 Middlefield Road, L-3, Palo Alto 650-858-2005 www.dancevisions.org info@danceaction.org DanceVisions, a unique nonprofit community dance center, offers classes from age 3 to adult. Classes range from modern to hip hop, lyrical, Pilates, jazz, ballet, and contact improvisation, as well as providing a performance showcase. Check website for details about classes and schedules.
Be Yoga
440 Kipling St., Palo Alto 650-906-9016 www.be-yoga.com beyogapaloalto@gmail.com Friendly community yoga studio. Small class sizes, excellent instruction, reasonable prices. Also offered are workshops on ayurveda, reiki and mediation.
Palo Alto Adult School
50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto 650-329-3752 650-329-8515 (fax) www.paadultschool.org Hike for Fitness or bring balance back to your life with Yoga.
HEALTH & FITNESS
AlaVie Fitness
50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto 415-567-7411 www.alaviefitness.com info@alaviefitness.com As AlaVie Fitness's signature program, Pow-
Red Star Soccer Academy
248 Walker Drive, #8, Mountain View
L'Ecole de Danse
(continued on next page)
Achieve More with Lydian Learning
Academic Excellence
Fully-Accredited Personalized High School
It's never too late! We accept new students every week, year round. Call now to enroll. 650-321-0550
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C E N T E R F O R M O V E M E N T E D U C AT I O N A N D R E S E A R C H (continued from previous page)
Class Guide
later received a master's degree.
NEW! 2012-2013 CMER DANCE/MOVEMENT THERAPY Alternate Route Training
In conjunction with the John F. Kennedy University Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology � Specialization in Expressive Arts. For details go to: http://movement-education.org/jfk/index.html
Yoga at All Saints' Episcopal Church
555 Waverley St., Palo Alto 650-322-4528 www.asaints.org Kundalini-style yoga, combining asana (physical poses), breathing exercises and meditation. Practice is best done on an empty stomach. Please bring a mat and blanket and wear comfortable, easy-to-move-in clothes. If floor work is difficult, exercises can be modified to be done in a chair. All ages. No registration necessary. Every Saturday, 8-9 a.m., in the Parish Hall. $5/person.
International School of the Peninsula (ISTP)
151 Laura Lane, Palo Alto 650-251-8500 www.istp.org admissions@istp.org ISTP offers extensive after-school language classes at its two Palo Alto locations. Classes offered in French, Mandarin and Spanish to preschool students (3 to 5 years old). Additional classes taught in Arabic, Farsi, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese and Russian for elementary and middle school students.
Learn to Row classes for adults at Bair Island Aquatic Center (BIAC), a local nonprofit boathouse. No previous experience or fitness level required. Six sessions in spring and summer, consisting of two weekends of classes (9 a.m.-noon Saturday and Sunday), followed by four weeks of instruction in the novice crew. Cost: $250 (includes three month membership at BIAC). Visit the website for details and registration information.
Intro DMT THEORY AND PRACTICE LEVEL 1:
February 3-6 and 10-12, 2012
Instructor: Bonnie Bernstein, M.Ed, MFT, BC-DMT
Center for Movement Education & Research (CMER)
310-600-0664 www.movement-education.org judy@movement-education.org CMER offers both introductory one-day workshops to explore what Dance/Movement Therapy is about, as well as a selection of comprehensive Alternate Route Training Courses for professional development in becoming a Dance/Movement Therapist. Most CMER courses provide Continuing Education credit as an approved provider of continuing education by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (#3888).
To register go to: http://movement-education.org/jfk/index.html
http://www.movement-education.org/therapy/courses_alternateroute_nocal_2012.html After DMT I, All CMER DMT classes will be held at San Jose State University in San Jose CA
LANGUAGE
Istituto Educazione Italiana
1000 El Camino Real, Room 8, Atherton 650-868-5995 www.italybythebay.org iei@italybythebay.org Italian language for adults in the evening on the campus of Menlo College. Workshops in painting Tuscan and Venetian landscapes/ cityscapes using acrylics in collaboration with the Pacific Art League (668 Ramona St., Palo Alto). Workshops in Florentine silversmithing at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. Full fee and schedule information can be found online.
ABC Languages
585 Glenwood Ave., Menlo Park 650-204-7908 www.abclanguagesf.com/ menlo@abclanguagesf.com ABC Languages offers up to 20 different language classes to adults and children either in groups or privately. ABC's teaching staff is composed of experienced instructors who are native speakers of the language they teach.
Contact: Judy Gantz 310-600-0664 or email:judy@cmer.info
Children's Health Council
650 Clark Way, Palo Alto 650-326-5530 www.chconline.org help@chconline.org For struggling learners, getting the right kind of attention to enjoy learning can make all the difference in how a child feels about himself or herself and school. Children's Health Council's Learning Center offers a range of services for struggling learners: evaluation, individual support/coaching, assistive technology, school-placement services and more.
German Language Class
50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto 650-329-3752 www.paadultschool.org adultschool@pausd.org Willkommen! (Welcome!) Learn to speak, read, and write German, with an emphasis on conversation. Basic grammar and Germanic culture are also covered. The instructor, a college-credentialed teacher, lived and studied in Germany through Stanford, from where she
MISCELLANEOUS
Bair Island Aquatic Center
1450 Maple St., Redwood City 650-241-8213 www.gobair.org/about/rowing.html info@gobair.org
CHRISTMAS TREES &WREATHS
Nativity School will be selling Christmas Trees & Wreaths beginning Friday, November 25th and ending on Saturday, December 17th. This is a fundraiser for Nativity School.
HOURS � Closed Mondays
Opening day has extended hours from 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday .....................4:00 Friday ......................................4:00 Saturday ..................................9:00 Sunday ....................................9:00 p.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. 8:00 9:00 9:00 5:00 p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.
College Goals
PO Box 18777, Stanford, CA 94309 401-247-2629 www.collegegoals.com andrea_van_niekerk@collegegoals.com Private college admission counseling designed by highly experienced ex-Ivy League admission officer and freshman academic advisor. Counsel high school students across all levels of college selectivity and preparation and on all aspects of a thoughtful, ethical and appropriate college-application process. Work both in person and through email.
Emerson School
2800 W. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto 650-424-1221 650-856-2778 (fax) www.headsup.org pacdc@headsup.org Emerson School, a private, non-sectarian program for grades 1-8, operates on a year-round full-day schedule providing superior academic preparation, international courses (Chinese, Spanish) and individualized Montessori curriculum. Visit website for details.
Kiwi Crate
103A Pioneer Way, Mountain View 650-967-4311 hello@kiwicrate.com www.kiwicrate.com Kiwi Crate delivers monthly crates with all the materials and inspiration for projects related to a theme such as safari, space or colors. Projects may include arts and crafts, science activities, imaginative play and more. Kiwi Crate has hand-selected and kid-tested projects that are open-ended and encourage curiosity, exploration and creativity. Great for ages 3-6.
Spanish Immersion Program Pre-K After School Preparation for kindergarten Summer & Camps
Corner of Oak Grove & Laurel, Menlo Park For information go to www.nativitytrees.com
Fire-Proofing and Delivery Service are available
THIS SPACE IS DONATED AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE BY THE PALO ALTO WEEKLY
NATIVITY SCHOOL
THE BEST OF TWO WORLDS LEARNING IN GERMAN AND ENGL LISH
MOUNTAIN VIEW, BERKELEY & SAN FRANCISCO
dual-immersion
-
OPEN HOUSE, Mountain View: Saturday, January 14, 10am to 12pm
holistic and individual development High-standard three locations
Phone: 650 254 0748 | Web: www.gissv.org | Email: office@gissv.org
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Class Guide
Learning Strategies
PO Box 535, La Honda, CA 94020 650-747-9651 www.creative-learning-strategies.com victoriaskinner@creative-learning-strategies. com A highly qualified Learning Strategies tutor will come to the home, work around vacation schedules and set up individual learning programs curtailed to the student's needs.
PALO ALTO ADULT SCHOOL
ION BARRON PAR TION BARRON PARK K! TTEN T S TREES A T TE N A ! A A RE HE STM
RI S CH
Barron Park Market and Nursery
3867 El Camino Real 650-493-2700 Fresh Poinsettas and All Holiday Foliage Also In Stock
Available Now At
ERE!
Lip reading/managing hearing loss
450 Bryant St., Palo Alto 650-949-7999, ext. 4379 www.hearinglossca.org/html/lipreading.htm ellenmastman@yahoo.com Lip reading/managing hearing loss. Classes start quarterly and meet weekly but you can join anytime. Learn ways to cope with hearing loss and improve lip-reading skills. Pay per quarter, register in class.
90
YEARS IN THE COMMUNITY
Little House Senior Activities Center
800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park 650-326-2025 www.peninsulavolunteers.org Computer workshops, health lectures, investments, travel, self-improvement, movies, opera previews, ballroom dancing and weekend trips for people over 50. Register in person or by phone.
"I heard about the Italian Conversation class from a friend and would definitely tell my friends to try it out." Sada Chidambaram
15%
with this ad
OFF
Lucy Geever-Conroy, Flight Instructor and Advantage Aviation
1903 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto 650-493-5987 www.advantage-aviation.com/ Offering learn-to-fly seminars, private pilot ground school and flying lessons, along with free seminars for pilots.
"After taking Beginning Piano class, I now practice, practice, practice and enjoy playing piano with my son and grandson." Lenore Jones
Peninsula School
We believe education can be engaging and joyous.
Palo Alto Adult School
50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto 650-329-3752 650-329-8515 (fax) www.paadultschool.org Hands-on computer, language, test preparation, writing, investment and certificate courses available. Hundreds of online classes are offered by the Palo Alto Adult School in conjunction with Education to Go.
Parents Place
200 Channing Ave., Palo Alto 650-688-3040 www.parentsplaceonline.org/peninsula Parents Place, a program of Jewish Family and Children's Services, supports families and children through parent education, consultation, and counseling about everything to do with raising children -- from infancy to young adulthood -- including comprehensive services for teenagers and children with special needs.
Art � Computer Applications Cooking � English � Music Photography � World Languages Woodworking and More
REGISTER NOW!
PAAdultSchool.org (650) 329-3752
QWERTY Education Services
1050 Chestnut St., #201, Menlo Park 650-326-8484 www.qwertyed.com info@qwertyed.com Academic tutoring and diagnostic educational evaluation for K-12 and college. Professional educators and diagnosticians work with students to build understanding of their learning, resulting in improved confidence and academic progress. Professional education services since 1976. Contact Michael Perez, director, for a no-cost phone consultation.
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Sign up today www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Photo: Marc Silber
920 peninsula way, menlo park, ca | 650.325.1584 www.peninsulaschool.org
Palo Alto Prep
Palo Alto Prep is a unique private high school designed to help students succeed in every aspect of life. We believe that school should be enjoyable and every student experience the pride of personal and academic accomplishment.
Empowerment through Accountability Provide 8 to 1 student-teacher ratio Deliver innovative and creative programs that develop academic and behavioral success Offer challenging academic opportunities Enhance the self-esteem of our students through outdoor activities and programs Create a supportive environment and safe community College prep curriculum 95% college enrollment
YEAR-ROUND ENROLLMENT
UC/A-G certified Certified by State of California as a Non-Public School
4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
TEACHING. LEARNING. CARING
www.paloaltoprep.com 650.493.7071
Celebrating Our 25th Year!
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Class Guide
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Kiwi Crate delivers arts & crafts, science projects and more in our monthly themed crates.
MUSIC & ART
Art for Well Beings
2460 Park Blvd., Palo Alto 650-776-8297 artforwellbeings.org me@judyg.com Art for Well Beings (AFWB) offers art classes especially welcoming people with special needs. AFWB is open to the public. Drop-in or sessions are available. All materials provided. Please call to register or visit website for more information.
Art with Emily
402 El Verano Ave., Palo Alto 650-856-9571 www.artwithemily.com emilyjeanyoung@gmail.com Emily Young teaches mixed-media, multicultural art lessons for children at her fully equipped studio in Palo Alto. Individual lessons or small group classes available.
Valid for new subscriptions only. Not valid for previous purchases. 10% applies only to the first box of a monthly subscription. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Other restrictions may apply.
Art Works Studio
Spanish French Chinese
Arabic, Farsi, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Hindi & more...
Since 1984.
595 Lincoln Ave., Palo Alto 650-796-1614 www.artworkspaloalto.com artworkspaloalto@gmail.com Art Works Studio offers a variety of fine-art classes for kids, as well as summer camps.
Children's Music Workshops
PO Box 60756, Palo Alto, CA 94306 650-306-0332 www.alisonsmusiclessons.com white.alison@gmail.com Kids music classes and private lessons for guitar, piano and voice. Locations in Palo Alto and Mountain View. Music for special-needs children too.
Community School of Music and Arts at Finn Center
Group & Private Language Classes SF & Menlo Park
Adults & Kids
A renaissance education in Silicon Valley.
ABC LANGUAGES
abclanguagesf.com
SF: 415-738-7383/ MENLO: 650-204-7908 101 Spear Street | 585 Glenwood Avenue SF, CA 94105 | Menlo Park, CA 94025
230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View 650-917-6800 www.arts4all.org info@arts4all.org The Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) offers classes year-round in music, visual and digital arts for ages 14 months to adult. Vacation and summer camps, one- and two-day arts workshops offered throughout the year. Private music lessons offered, taught by international faculty. Financial assistance available. Private lessons also offered.
Lingling Yang Violin Studio
Palo Alto 650-456-7648 linglingviolin.blogspot.com linglingy@gmail.com Offers private violin instruction for children 7 and up and adults of all levels. Year-round enrollment. Audition required for intermediate and advanced violin players. Taught by classically trained violinist and very experienced violin teacher. Her students include award winners at violin competitions and members of PACO, CYS and ECYS.
Sign up for a tour! Nursery ~ High School
Los Altos & Mtn View waldorfpeninsula.org
Manzana Music School
Palo Alto 650-799-7807 www.manzanamusicschool.com/ ManzanaMusicSchool@yahoo.com Private and group lessons for children and adults on guitar, violin, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, vocal, arranging and music theory.
Midpeninsula Community Media Center
900 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto 650-494-8686 www.communitymediacenter.net info@midpenmedia.org The Media Center offers classes every month in a wide range of media arts, including publishing media on the Web, podcasting, digital editing, field production, TV studio production, Photoshop for photographers, citizen journalism and autobiographical digital stories. One-on-one tutoring is also available. Biweekly free orientation sessions and tours. Website has specific dates, fees and scholarship information.
CareerGenerations
Music with Toby
Palo Alto 415-513-3158 www.tobybranz.com Toby Branz offers private voice and violin lessons in Palo Alto. She received her master's degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2010 and a postgraduate diploma in 2011.
For a free consultation, please contact us at 650.320.1639 or check out our website at www.CareerGenerations.com
Music Within Us
2483 Old Middlefield Way, Suite 150, Mountain View
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Class Guide
650-325-2194 www.themusicwithinus.com info@themusicwithinus.com Dr. Lisa Chu offers classes, workshops, and individual sessions using techniques drawn from the fields of life coaching, mindfulnessbased meditation, yoga, deliberate practice, group facilitation, sound healing and music improvisation. Amigos de Palo is a full Spanish-immersion preschool. Offering parents a safe, loving and trustworthy environment where they may leave their children, both for childcare and to begin learning from bilingual instructors how to speak and learn Spanish the same way their native language was learned -- naturally. Preschool sessions are offered Mon.-Fri. (1-4:30 p.m.); Mon., Wed. and Fri. (8:30 a.m.-11:45 p.m. or 1-4:30 p.m.); and Tue.-Thu. (8:30 a.m.11:45 p.m. or 1-4:30 p.m.). language options. GAIS follows the academically rigorous, inquiry-based programs developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization.
the king's academ y
CHRIST-CENTERED COLLEGE PREPARATORY
Twenty Years Transforming Lives
Helios New School
3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto 650-223-8690 www.heliosns.org admin@heliosns.org Constructivist K-4 secular program for gifted children. Individualized curriculum including foreign language, science, fine arts and socialemotional learning. Email or visit the website for dates/times of tours/information nights.
New Mozart School of Music
305 N. California Ave., Palo Alto 650-324-2373 www.newmozartschool.com info@newmozartschool.com New Mozart provides private lessons on all instruments for all ages and early-childhood music classes for children 2-7 years of age.
Community School of Music and Arts at Finn Center
230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View 650-917-6800 www.arts4all.org info@arts4all.org The Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) offers classes year-round in music, visual and digital arts for ages 18 months to adult. Vacation and summer camps, one- and two-day arts workshops offered throughout the year. Private music lessons offered, taught by international faculty. Financial assistance available.
International School of the Peninsula
Cohn Campus (grades 1-8): 151 Laura Lane, Palo Alto Cooper Campus (nursery): 3233 Cowper St., Palo Alto 650-251-8500 www.istp.org istp@istp.org After-school programs for preschool, elementary- and middle-school students. Classes include French cooking, Asian cooking, chess, science, robotics, Chinese dance, art and craft, watercolor, gymnastics, soccer and multisports. For a complete list of classes available visit the website.
Opus1 Music Studio
2800 W. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto 650-625-9955 musicopus1.com musicopus1@gmail.com Opus1 Music Studio is offering private and group music lessons for all kinds of instruments to ages 2 and up. Beginners to advanced level.
Saturday, December
10
Children's Pre-School Center (CPSC)
4000 Middlefield Road, T-1, Palo Alto 650-493-5770 www.cpsccares.org Students will experience the joy of finger painting, the thrill of dancing, the pleasure of building towers, and the satisfaction of mastering pre-literacy and pre-math skills with the support and guidance of a dedicated, loving, multicultural teaching staff.
Pacific Art League
688 Ramona St., Palo Alto 650-321-3891 www.pacificartleague.org gallery@pacificartleague.org Art classes and workshops by qualified, experienced instructors for students from beginners to advanced and even non-artists. Classes in collage, oil painting, portraits and sketching, life drawing, acrylic or watercolor and brush painting. Sculpture. Registration is ongoing.
SCHEDULE A SCHOOL TOUR OR STUDENT SHADOW TODAY!
Jim Gorman Swim School
3249 Alpine Road, Portola Valley 650-854-6699, ext. 100 jim@laderaoaks.com Patient, professional instructors and warm, clean pools make it fun to learn to swim. Private and small group lessons for all ages and abilities, from water babies (3-30 months) to national champions. Weekday and weekend lessons available for sign-ups now.
Contact Marissa Lockett, Admissions Assistant 408.481.9900 x4248 or Marissa.Lockett@tka.org 562 N. Britton Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085 www.tka.org -- ACSI and WASC Accreditation
Circle of Friends Preschool
3214 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park 650-854-2468 cofpreschool@gmail.com Circle of Friends Preschool offers a wellrounded curriculum in a warm personal environment. The goal is to promote the development of the whole child: physical, emotional, social, lingual and intellectual. Detailed assessment of each child helps build partnerships with families to support emerging competencies. All this in a play-based program where children have opportunities to create, explore, problem solve, learn concepts and integrate knowledge in a hands-on environment.
Palo Alto Art Center
1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto 650-329-2366 www.cityofpaloalto.org/enjoy lynn.stewart@cityofpaloalto.org Classes and workshops for children and adults in ceramics, painting, drawing, jewelry, book arts, printmaking, collage and more. Register online or stop by the Art Center for a class brochure.
Kirk House Preschool
1148 Johnson St., Menlo Park 650-323-8667 www.kirkhousepreschool.org khp@mppc.org Kirk House Preschool is a half-day preschool with both morning and afternoon classes for children aged 3-5 (Young Fives class). Kirk House Preschool is a Christian, play-based school which offers a development-oriented curriculum in a park-like setting.
KEHILLAH JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL
SCHOOLS
Action Day/Primary Plus
333 Eunice Ave., Mountain View 650-967-3780 www.actiondayprimaryplus.com Providing quality infant, toddler and preschool programs for more than 33 years. Onsite dance and computer classes offered. Fully accredited staff and facilities.
German-American International School
275 Elliott Drive, Menlo Park 650-324-8617 www.gais.org info@gais.org German-American International Sschool (GAIS) is an international school serving approximately 300 students in preschool through 8th grade. GAIS offers a German bilingual program through 5th grade, and welcomes English-speaking students in a new English language middle school program that offers German, Spanish and French as additional
Milestones Preschool
3864 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-618-3325 www.milestonespreschool.org preschool@AbilitiesUnited.org Milestones Preschool, a developmental program, provides children aged 2-5 years a fun and educational environment that promotes their development of the social skills, independent thinking, intellectual growth, and positive self-image they need to succeed in
Amigos de Palo Alto
1611 Stanford Ave., Palo Alto 650-493-4300 www.amigosdepaloalto.com
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KJHS welcomes students of all backgrounds who seek a strong college preparatory education and meaningful engagement with the issues of our times.
Can higher consciousness be measured?
Open House 2012
Sun. Jan. 8 2-4 p.m.
At ITP we are asking the important questions. Join us and earn your degree.
RSVP to admissions@kehillah.org
KEHILLAH
KEHILLAH JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL
Ps y. D. | Ph . D. | M . A . | C er tif i cate
Onl ine and On Ca mpus Learning Spi r itually-or i ent ed Cl i n ical Ps ychology Tr ansper sonal Ps ychology Counsel i n g (M F T ) Wo m en 's Spi r i t uali t y Educat ion and R e se arch Coach i ng Spi r i t ual Gui dan ce Cr e at ive E x pr e ssion
Gr aduat e Educat ion at t h e Front i er of Psychology and Spi r itualit y
years
3900 FABIAN WAY PALO ALTO, CA 94303
www.kehillah.org GROWING COMMUNITY FOR A DEC ADE
Kehillah means community. Join us.
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Real Estate Matters
IF TREES COULD TALK
Many buyers wisely include a satisfactory home inspection as a requirement of their purchase. However, there is another property feature that is often overlooked when making a purchase decision; the landscaping. That's right, landscaping is more than just a neatly trimmed lawn and a few flowering bushes. A careful look at the property around the home can yield valuable information, illustrating potential soil problems, pest infestation, drainage problems, and even structural instability. Pay extra special attention to fountains, retaining walls, fences, decks and railings, and trees around and near the home. Try to imagine where all the water goes after a heavy rainfall, and look for signs of its journey around the house. If there are mature trees in the yard, strongly consider having them professionally analyzed for their appropriateness in your climate zone and any problems that may develop from their proximity to the house. While real estate professionals are perfectly capable of diligent visual inspection of a property, they don't act outside their area of expertise. An agent may help point out a potential problem, but that's no substitute for a professional landscape analysis.
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kindergarten and later in life. NAEYC accredited. State of California License 434407984.
Class Guide
child. At Children's Health Council. Grades K-3. 6:1 student/teacher ratio. cerning heart.
Woodland School School for Independent Learners
909 North San Antonio Road, Los Altos 650-941-4350 www.sileducation.com info@sileducation.com Private WASC-accredited high school. Oneto-one and small-group instruction. FT and PT enrollment. UC-approved college prep, honors and AP coursework. Individualized curriculum. Self-paced and mastery-based -- failure is not an option. Also: tutoring, test prep and college counseling. Open every day, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Start anytime. 360 La Cuesta Drive, Portola Valley 650-854-9065 www.woodland-school.org Preschool-8th grade. Woodland School's focus is a challenging academic program with a strong enrichment program of art, music, drama, computers, gymnastics and physical education. Science, math and technology are an integral part of the 5th-8th grade experience. Extended care is offered 7:30 a.m-8:15 p.m. and 3-6 p.m. Call for a brochure or to set up a tour.
Mountain View-Los Altos Adult School
333 Moffett Blvd., Mountain View 650-940-1333 www.mvlaae.net The MV-LA Adult School has a long history and commitment to adult education. Offering: Arts and crafts, computers, digital-camera techniques, ESL, foreign languages, high school programs and GED, memoirs, music and dance, needlework, orchestra, parent education, physical fitness and vocational education. Older-adult classes (55+) available.
Sora International Preschool
701 E. Meadow Drive, Palo Alto 650-493-7672 www.SoraPreschool.com Sora International Preschool is an EnglishJapanese bilingual preschool. Sora provides children a great leaning experience in a warm, cheerful and friendly environment. Sora's mission is to help families that are raising bilingual children as well as those that want their children to begin a second language at an early age.
Yew Chung International School (YCIS)
310 Easy St., Mountain View 650-903-0986 www.ycef.com/sv info@sv.ycef.com YCIS provides multi-cultural and bilingual, English and Mandarin Chinese, education to children from preschool to 5th grade. Yew Chung education aims to liberate the joy of learning within each child. No prior Chinese experience is required.
Palo Alto Prep
4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto 650-493-7071 www.paloaltoprep.com Palo Alto Prep is a unique private high school designed to help students succeed in every aspect of life with confidence and success.
Phillips Brooks School
2245 Avy Ave., Menlo Park 650-854-4545 www.phillipsbrooks.org The Phillips Brooks School, an independent co-educational day school for students in prekindergarten through fifth grade, prepares each student to live a creative, humane and compassionate life, and to be a contributing member of society. The curriculum emphasizes the basic academic disciplines and their integration into everyday life while developing the foundation for individual scholastic excellence and inspiring an enthusiasm for lifelong learning. The overall school experience weaves the intellectual, spiritual, social and physical areas of growth into the fabric that is the Phillips Brooks School community.
Call Jackie & Richard to Sell or Buy Your Home
schoelerman
St. Joseph Catholic School
1120 Miramonte Ave., Mountain View 650-967-1839 www.sjmv.org St. Joseph Catholic School offers a comprehensive curriculum with an emphasis on religion, language arts, mathematics, social studies and science. In addition to the core curriculum, St. Joseph's also offers a fine arts program, computer instruction and physical education.
Class Guide
he Class Guide is published quarterly. Descriptions of classes offered in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Stanford, Atherton, Los Altos Hills, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto and beyond are provided. Listings are free and subject to editing. Due to space constraints, classes held in the above cities are given priority. To inquire about placing a listing in the Class Guide, or to update an existing listing, email Online Editor Tyler Hanley at thanley@paweekly.com, call 650-326-8210 or visit www. PaloAltoOnline.com. To place a paid advertisement in the Class Guide, call our display advertising department at 650-326-8210.
Trinity School
2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park 650-854-0288 www.trinity-mp.org admission@trinity-mp.org Early childhood through grade 5. Trinity School encourages preschool to grade 5 children from all backgrounds to love learning. Trinity fosters rigorous academics grounded in child-centered content. The legacy of a Trinity education is a curious mind and a dis-
(650) 855-9700
jackie@apr.com
DRE # 01092400
(650) 566-8033
richard@apr.com
DRE # 01413607
Sand Hill School
650 Clark Way, Palo Alto 650-688-3605 www.sandhillschool.org info@sandhillschool.org For young minds, one size doesn't fit all. At Sand Hill School, find what fits best for each
www.schoelerman.com
Good for Business. Good for You. Good for the Community.
When you shop locally, good things happen to make our community stronger:
For more information call 650.223.6587 or email info@ShopPaloAlto.com
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